US4602157A - X-ray image recording device - Google Patents

X-ray image recording device Download PDF

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Publication number
US4602157A
US4602157A US06/576,493 US57649384A US4602157A US 4602157 A US4602157 A US 4602157A US 57649384 A US57649384 A US 57649384A US 4602157 A US4602157 A US 4602157A
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United States
Prior art keywords
storage means
image storage
axis
station
read
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Expired - Fee Related
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US06/576,493
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English (en)
Inventor
Harald Kayser
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US Philips Corp
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US Philips Corp
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01T—MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION
    • G01T1/00—Measuring X-radiation, gamma radiation, corpuscular radiation, or cosmic radiation
    • G01T1/16—Measuring radiation intensity
    • G01T1/20—Measuring radiation intensity with scintillation detectors
    • G01T1/2012—Measuring radiation intensity with scintillation detectors using stimulable phosphors, e.g. stimulable phosphor sheets

Definitions

  • the invention relates to an X-ray image recording device, comprising an image storage means for storing the X-ray shadow image, a read-out station for reading out the image stored in the image storage means, and an erasing station for erasing the residual image still present in the image storage means.
  • image storage means is to be understood to mean herein a fluorescent material which is deposited on an appropriate, flat substrate and which is suitable for the latent storage of an X-ray shadow image which, after stimulation by light, can be converted into a visible image.
  • Image storage means of this kind are known (see German patent document No. 29 28 244).
  • An X-ray image recording device comprising such image storage means is known from European patent application No. 56 639; for the recording of an X-ray image by means of this device, the image storage means is transported from a feed magazine, containing several of such image storage means, to the recording position in which it is exposed to X-rays. After exposure, the image storage means is transported either to a receiving magazine or directly to a read-out station. In the read-out station the image storage means is stimulated by light so that it emits radiation whose intensity corresponds to the intensity of the X-rays at the relevant location during the preceding X-ray exposure. The wavelength of the emitted light may also be shorter than that of the stimulating light.
  • a read-out station of this kind is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,318.
  • the individual points of the image storage means are irradiated by means of a laser in order to cause the emission of light.
  • the emitted light is applied to a photoelectric converter which produces an electric signal which corresponds to the brightness of the emitted light or the intensity of the X-rays at this point.
  • the signal can be applied to a signal processing device which comprises a computer and which converts the information contained in the variation in time of the electric signal into a two-dimensional image.
  • the advantage of the use of such image storage means over the silver halide photographic materials customarily used for X-ray image recording consists in that such means are reusable. Before reuse (and after the described reading out of the image), however, the residual image must be erased. Therefore, it is necessary to transport the image storage means from the read-out station to an erasing station in which the image storage means are intensely irradiated by a light source for a prolonged period of time.
  • the known device comprises a light source which briefly irradiates the image storage means when it enters the recording position, but this irradiation merely serves to erase the preexposures caused by inherent radiation or cosmic rays. The residual image remaining after the reading out of a recorded X-ray image cannot be erased in this manner.
  • this object is achieved in that there is provided a preferably prismatic body which carries an image storage means on at least one of its side surfaces and which can be rotated to at least three different positions about an axis which is symmetrically situated with respect to its side surfaces, the body, the recording position, the read-out station and the erasing station being arranged so that when the body is rotated to the various positions, the image storage means cyclically and successively enters the recording position, or a transport device to the recording position, the read-out station, and the erasing station.
  • the image storage means is thus provided on one or more side surfaces of the body, the axis of rotation extending through both base surfaces thereof which are interconnected by the side surfaces, said body preferably being shaped as a right prism.
  • the image storage means is transported to the various stages of the processing cycle (recording, reading out, erasing) by rotating the body about its axis. Instead of being output physically, the X-ray images are output or transported to an image display device in the form of signals which are supplied by the read-out station.
  • a further embodiment of the device in accordance with the invention comprises at least three plates which are impermeable to light and X-rays and each of which is provided with an image storage means on both sides, the body comprising apertures wherethrough the inner side of the image storage means can be illuminated by the illumination device of the erasing station which is arranged inside the body, the plates being rotatable through 180° about an axis which extends parallel to the plane of the plates. It is thus achieved that, after having passed the read-out head, each image storage means can be exposed to the light of the light source of the erasing station inside the body for a prolonged period of time.
  • the plate comprising image storage means on both sides is turned over in the position of the prismatic body which directly precedes the recording position, it is also ensured that subsequently, i.e. after the prismatic body has been rotated one step further, the beam path is entered by an image storage means which has been exposed to the light of the light source inside the prismatic body immediately before that, so that the image storage means is free from residual images and the like.
  • FIG. 1 shows a plate provided with image storage means on both sides
  • FIG. 2 shows a cubic body comprising an image storage means on each of its four side surfaces
  • FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a part of this body
  • FIG. 4 shows a part of the body at an increased scale
  • FIG. 5 shows a first embodiment of an X-ray image recording device in accordance with the invention which comrpises a cube as shown in FIG. 2,
  • FIGS. 6a to 6f illustrate the various stages during rotation from one angular position to the next
  • FIG. 7 shows an X-ray spotfilm device comprising a further embodiment in accordance with the invention.
  • FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a plate 12 which can be used in a device in accordance with the invention and which is provided with an image storage means 22 on each of its external surfaces.
  • the size of these image storage means may be, for example 43 ⁇ 43 cm; the means contain a fluorescent material which is suitable for the latent storage of the image and which belongs, for example to the group of alkaline-earth metal fluorohalides. Fluorescent materials of this kind are known from German patent document No. 29 28 244.
  • Each of the image storage means 22 is provided on a flat brass plate 23, each of which is connected to a lead plate 24.
  • the lead plates 24 serve to prevent the simultaneous exposure of both image storage means by an X-ray source arranged at one side of the plate 12. Between the lead plates 24 there is provided a foam core 25. This sandwich-like construction is enclosed by a profiled aluminium strip 19 on the outside.
  • FIG. 2 shows a body in the form of a cube 7 which is provided with a trunnion 10 in the centre of each of two opposite sides (because of the perspective, the drawing shows only one trunnion), said trunnions defining an axis of rotation for the cube 7.
  • a plate 12 On each of the other four side surfaces of the cube there is provided a plate 12.
  • each side surface supporting a plate comprises an opening 17 which is enclosed by the strip 18 in which the aluminium strip 19 of the plate 12 engages (see FIG. 3), so that the strips 18 and 19 form a labyrinth which has a meander-like cross-section and which provides a light tight seal between the interior of the cube and the surroundings.
  • the aluminium strip 19 of the plate 12 is connected to a ball-bearing 21 at the centre of each of the two sides of the plate 12 which extend perpendicularly to the axis of rotation, said ball-bearing being connected to an arm 13 which is slidable in a rail 20 which projects into the interior of the cube.
  • the rail may alternatively be arranged outside the cube.
  • the arm 13 can be displaced in the rail by means of a pneumatic drive. Via the arm 13, the plate 12 can thus be displaced outwards in the direction perpendicular to the side surface and, via the ball-bearing 21, the plate can also be rotated about an axis 16 which is parallel to the axis of the trunnions 10.
  • the sides of the plate 12 which are connected to the arms 13 are provided with carriers 14 as diagrammatically shown in FIG. 2.
  • tubular light sources 9 are arranged at the area of the cube edges which are parallel to the axis of rotation; these light sources can be connected to a suitable voltage source via tappings (not shown) and illuminate the surfaces of the four plates 12 which face the interior of the cube, so that residual images present thereon are erased.
  • the interior of the cube 7 and the light sources 9 thus form the erasing station.
  • FIG. 5 shows a moving grid X-ray image recording apparatus which comprises a horizontal tabletop 1 on which a patient 2 is positioned, and a lighttight housing 28 which supports the tabletop and in which the cube shown in FIG. 2 is arranged.
  • the patient is irradiated by an X-ray beam 6 which lands on the cube 7 via a scatter grid 4 and an ionization chamber 5, i.e. on the outwards facing image storage means of the upper plate 12 at that instant.
  • the read-out station outputs an electric (or optical) signal which corresponds to the intensity of the light emitted by the individual points of the image storage means after stimulation by a suitable optical radiation source, and hence also to the intensity of the X-rays whereto the points in question were previously exposed.
  • the erasing station is formed by the light sources 9 which illuminate the image storage means on the inner side of the four plates 12, so that any latent residual images present therein are erased.
  • An image storage means is transported from the recording position to the read-out station by a rotary step during which the cube is rotated through 90° with respect to the axis of rotation which is defined by the trunnions 10 and which extends perpendicularly to the plane of drawing in FIG. 5, so that the image storage means previously present in the recording position (top) is then situated at the left-hand side of the cube in order to be scanned in the read-out station 8.
  • the read-out station 8 is displaced and the cube is lowered as indicated by the references 7' and 8'. It is also possible to lower the cube obliquely to the right so that the read-out station 8 can retain its position.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates the various phases of a rotation of the cube through 90°.
  • FIG. 6a shows the position of the cube during recording. After the recording, the cube is lowered. To this end, the trunnions 10 about which the cube is rotated are guided in an elongated hole 11 in a holding device (not shown). After the lowering of the cube, the trunnion 10 is thus situated at the lower extremity of the elongated hole 11 (FIG. 6b).
  • the cube is subsequently rotated counter-clockwise about the axis of the trunnions 10, the journals 14 in the angled guide rail thus being displaced further, i.e. initially to the right (FIGS. 6c and 6d).
  • the plate 12 is thus rotated clockwise about the axis 16 (FIG. 3).
  • the guide rails 15 are arranged and shaped so that, after a 90° rotation of the cube, the pair of journals 14 reaches the end of the guide rail after rotation of the plate through 180° with respect to the axis 16 (FIG. 6e).
  • the arm 13 is inserted again and the cube 7 is raised (FIG. 6f), so that it again occupies the position shown in FIG. 6a, the only difference being that it has now been rotated through 90° and that the plate which is situated at the right-hand side after completion of the rotation has been rotated through 180°.
  • the light sources 9 are preferably switched off, so that the light cannot escape past the lowered plate 12. However, these light sources remain switched on for the remainder of the time, so that each of the image storage means is illuminated during the period of time expiring between four X-ray exposures; this usually suffices for complete erasure of any residual images present in the image storage means.
  • the heat developed by the light sources 9 is discharged from the interior of the cube via a lighttight ventilation system which will not be described herein.
  • the image storage device which is turned outwards by the turning over of the plate 12 reaches the recording position already after the next X-ray exposure. Consequently, the period of time expiring between the illumination of this image storage means by the light source 9 and the X-ray exposure is comparatively short, so that generally no disturbing fog can be built up during this period. However, should an inadmissibly long period of time have expired due to a pause or the like, a further rotation through 90° can be performed immediately before the next X-ray exposure.
  • FIG. 7 shows a part of an X-ray spotfilm apparatus which comprises an X-ray image recording device in accordance with the invention, corresponding elements being denoted by the same reference numerals as used in the FIGS. 1 to 6.
  • the X-rays pass through an object 2 arranged on a tabletop 1 and land on the entrance screen of an image intensifier 26 which is supported by the X-ray spotfilm apparatus.
  • a prismatic body 7 having a triangular cross-section is arranged in a lighttight housing 28, said body supporting a plate 12 on each of its side surfaces; contrary to the plate shown in FIG. 1, the plate 12 now comprises an image storage means only on its outer side.
  • the body is rotatable about an axis 10 in steps of 120°, so that each time one of the plates 12 which is detachably connected to the body can be engaged by a transport device which consists of a rail 29 and drive means (not shown) for the displacement of the plate 12 in the transport rail 29 into the beam path in front of the entrance surface of the image intensifier.
  • the read-out station 8 being coupled to an appropriate signal processing device 31 via an electrical or fibre optical conductor 30, is arranged so that it can point-wise scan the X-ray image formed on another plate during a preceding exposure so that it can be converted into electric or optical signals, whilst the erasing station (symbolized by the light source 9) illuminates the plate arranged on the third side surface of the body 7, thus erasing any residual image remaining thereon after the passage through the read-out station 8.
  • the body After the detachment of the front plate from the body 7, followed by the transport into the beam path and reconnection to the body, the body is again rotated through 120°, after which the plate previously situated at the erasing station is transported to the recording position via the transport rail 29, whilst the plate previously exposed is read out by the read-out station and the residual image on the plate previously present in the read-out station is erased in the erasing station 9.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
  • Molecular Biology (AREA)
  • Spectroscopy & Molecular Physics (AREA)
  • Radiography Using Non-Light Waves (AREA)
  • Apparatus For Radiation Diagnosis (AREA)
  • Analysing Materials By The Use Of Radiation (AREA)
US06/576,493 1983-02-21 1984-02-02 X-ray image recording device Expired - Fee Related US4602157A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE19833305912 DE3305912A1 (de) 1983-02-21 1983-02-21 Einrichtung zur anfertigung von roentgenaufnahmen
DE3305912 1983-02-21

Publications (1)

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US4602157A true US4602157A (en) 1986-07-22

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US06/576,493 Expired - Fee Related US4602157A (en) 1983-02-21 1984-02-02 X-ray image recording device

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US (1) US4602157A (fr)
JP (1) JPS59166938A (fr)
DE (1) DE3305912A1 (fr)
FR (1) FR2541470B1 (fr)
GB (1) GB2136260B (fr)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4727252A (en) * 1984-10-20 1988-02-23 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Radiation image erase unit for use with stimulable phosphor sheet
US4737641A (en) * 1985-08-16 1988-04-12 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Apparatus for producing x-ray images by computer radiography
US5210416A (en) * 1990-08-02 1993-05-11 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. High-speed imaging stage
US20050190888A1 (en) * 2003-11-28 2005-09-01 Thomas Schmitt Apparatus for radiation image recording
WO2011082736A1 (fr) * 2009-12-21 2011-07-14 DüRR DENTAL AG Unité de détection pour des rayons d'essai et unité de lecture et appareil d'examen équipée d'une telle unité de détection

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0170810B1 (fr) * 1984-06-01 1992-08-12 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Appareil d'effacement d'image de rayonnement dans un écran luminescent stimulable
EP0345832B1 (fr) * 1984-10-30 1994-08-10 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Méthode et dispositif pour enregistrer et lire l'information d'une image de radiation
EP0288014B1 (fr) * 1987-04-20 1998-08-05 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Cassette, dispositif et méthode d'essuyage pour une feuille de phosphore stimulable
DE4217851C2 (de) * 1992-05-29 1997-02-20 Kba Planeta Ag Einrichtung zur Saugluftsteuerung

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2999159A (en) * 1959-02-24 1961-09-05 Charles L Curry Cassette changer for femoral arteriography
US4315318A (en) * 1978-12-26 1982-02-09 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Method and apparatus for processing a radiation image
EP0077678A2 (fr) * 1981-10-16 1983-04-27 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Système de reproduction et d'enregistrement pour image de rayonnement
US4394771A (en) * 1981-04-01 1983-07-19 Pierre Charrier Apparatus for moving film cassettes
US4439682A (en) * 1981-01-12 1984-03-27 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Noise erasing method in a radiation image recording and reproducing method
US4439866A (en) * 1982-07-19 1984-03-27 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Arbitrary layer tomographic method and apparatus

Family Cites Families (6)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE932340C (de) * 1953-07-17 1955-08-29 Siemens Reiniger Werke Ag Roentgenuntersuchungsgeraet mit einer Einrichtung fuer Roentgen-Serienaufnahmen
DE1041350B (de) * 1956-07-11 1958-10-16 Siemens Reiniger Werke Ag Einrichtung zur Herstellung von Roentgen-Serienaufnahmen
GB1541834A (en) * 1975-03-19 1979-03-07 Agfa Gevaert Radiographiy
JPS57119340A (en) * 1981-01-16 1982-07-24 Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd Radiation picture recorder
JPH0614233B2 (ja) * 1982-05-19 1994-02-23 富士写真フイルム株式会社 放射線画像情報記録読取装置
JPS5866934A (ja) * 1981-10-16 1983-04-21 Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd 放射線画像情報記録読取装置

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2999159A (en) * 1959-02-24 1961-09-05 Charles L Curry Cassette changer for femoral arteriography
US4315318A (en) * 1978-12-26 1982-02-09 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Method and apparatus for processing a radiation image
US4439682A (en) * 1981-01-12 1984-03-27 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Noise erasing method in a radiation image recording and reproducing method
US4394771A (en) * 1981-04-01 1983-07-19 Pierre Charrier Apparatus for moving film cassettes
EP0077678A2 (fr) * 1981-10-16 1983-04-27 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Système de reproduction et d'enregistrement pour image de rayonnement
US4543479A (en) * 1981-10-16 1985-09-24 Fuji Photo Film Co. Ltd. Radiation image recording and read-out system
US4439866A (en) * 1982-07-19 1984-03-27 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Arbitrary layer tomographic method and apparatus

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4727252A (en) * 1984-10-20 1988-02-23 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Radiation image erase unit for use with stimulable phosphor sheet
US4737641A (en) * 1985-08-16 1988-04-12 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Apparatus for producing x-ray images by computer radiography
US5210416A (en) * 1990-08-02 1993-05-11 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. High-speed imaging stage
US20050190888A1 (en) * 2003-11-28 2005-09-01 Thomas Schmitt Apparatus for radiation image recording
US7110507B2 (en) 2003-11-28 2006-09-19 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Apparatus for radiation image recording
WO2011082736A1 (fr) * 2009-12-21 2011-07-14 DüRR DENTAL AG Unité de détection pour des rayons d'essai et unité de lecture et appareil d'examen équipée d'une telle unité de détection

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2541470B1 (fr) 1990-05-04
FR2541470A1 (fr) 1984-08-24
DE3305912C2 (fr) 1991-12-12
JPS59166938A (ja) 1984-09-20
DE3305912A1 (de) 1984-08-23
GB2136260B (en) 1987-03-25
GB8404221D0 (en) 1984-03-21
GB2136260A (en) 1984-09-12

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